Before I studied horticulture, I experienced insecure work and food banks. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to be able to remove myself from that situation. But... I feel like those experiences have helped me to appreciate the food security and piece of mind a Food Forest or an Edible Landscape can provide.
I'm at a stage now where the No-Dig For Victory Garden provides me with almost all of my fruit and veg. The only fruit and veg I do still buy are apples and bananas and the former I am hoping will eventually come from the garden. Yes, I still buy food, but all my onions, greens, herbs, salads and some fruits are picked from the garden when needed. This is portion of my food shopping I don't need to pay for anymore - all from a couple of hours maintenance every month. In addition, the food I am harvesting is sustainably produced and organic and I am eating flavours and varieties unavailable in shops. Imagine the potential to alleviate manutention and improve food security if sustainably produced, organic food was free and accessible to people in green spaces and community gardens. This is also achievable without needing to sacrifice beautiful borders or ecological planting. An Edible Landscape adopts conventional garden design principles as well as the methods used in Edible Forest Gardening. An Edible Landscape can look just like an ornamental garden AND provide habitats and food for wildlife too. Imagine if communities had access to free organic fruit and veg, produced sustainably in green spaces, whenever they needed it. No, it wouldn’t stop people from needing to buy food, but it could reduce the shopping bill, encourage people to eat more fruit and veg and provide piece of mind during times of uncertainty. Edible Landscaping in domestic gardens and green spaces bridges the gap between amenity horticulture and using horticulture to help find solutions for contemporary issues in our society. No-Dig For Victory in the 21st Century.
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AuthorZac Harris BSc Horticulture (Garden and Landscape Design) Archives |